Bottle, washing machine



Jan. 8, 1935. P, R. FLETCHER BOTTLE WASHING MACHINE Filed Aug. l, 1931 3Sheets-Sheet l dumm Jan. 8, 1935. P. R. FLETCHER BOTTLE WASHING MACHINEFiled Aug. l, 1931 3 lSheats-Shee'c 2 Jan. s, 193s. P. R. FLETCHER1,986,964

BOTTLE WASHING MACHINE Filed Aug. 1. 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Jan.`8, 1935 issaeayw normanna-suine bei-ng: less expe.naive to; ymariniactune and. operate and. mene nositiverin; operation thaisthefco.-elif cated machines thathave preceded 1.12,. f `5 'Ifiiese and otherobjects; andi advantages() my improved.: machine: wil-,1, he apnarericinthe coince.. of. the: following descrintiom as well as in the.drawingsiiiwhich* i' Figure 1 `is a. c1iaeiramiiiazticrl partsectionai.,side' elevational. view showing; in. detail-.the vaitiiouslmechanicai:detailsycomnizisinsinvention.

Figure 2 is a. side view' elevatca. .ot the side adverse to that in 1,Iclearly'. illnse tracingcertain icatures oi invention heeeinf afterexplained detail.. i 1

. Fig-.ure 3 a. partial: rear." end: elevationahview of my door:iienievedL tratine the. shaft. and eiementscomprised; in my invention. i

Figure 4. is; ameniarged frag-mentali! detailed view of. the shaftannifl carne air.angeiiieri-t:` shown in. Figures 1. and; 3... f v Mvimproved. automatic machine.. toi'- washing .1o,ott1.es.,.` Shown: the.vaforementioned drawings comprises. in. general. a. mainizrama. endlessseri-es; of hottie carriers; tizaiispeitabls along@ ydefinite coursewithin said iifamc by of conveyor chains. actuating riieans foi'. Saidand a loading and. wiloadingr conveyor and table with means foi:vautomatically feeding; bottles into .and eject-ing. them fizcin. thebattre carriers and machine. 3 .Y

. As the. hotties in the carriers are. carried thiousih the macinnethevfane automatically immersedahd i soaked in a tank secton'oj the ins:hot chernica solution. iii-verace to auch .sohition therefrom-,- andcantiei of hotties then successively rinsed: andhifushedexternallzy,rinsed internally, brushed. inte-malin and. again Annscd internal-1y, bymeans Provided in., the ma.-

chine.. Foilgowing these operations. the hotties axe drained of. therinsing-1iquid,.:and earned for:- waircl` :to the ejecting: means.ahovereiei'ced. te.;

A11 sf these various operations.: and are synchronized to operate invsuch a. manner that` While. the conveyor. chain is staiionarm be: ing.movedintermittently-,- the. bottles in the. most advanced carrier areejected from the machine,

by the Soaking, draining., bmishine, and. rinsing opifaons- TheseOperations beine completed,

` cesantas. means and another carrier is lled.; immediately .followed riyifiiisiiis ceasesfiiie avvii m theheiitles.

the mechanic@ Washing; a

of noniiiteaieieoce with and. placed: anositie suesenusnt movements ef.::thema-shine.. aha the eavvieissaie advanesdse that each oneiiatienn-ieyhefeepeaiedwiththeheatffolicwihscaeeier 11111: ci bott'lve. if nl i l i7` f .fMyvinveftionz comp es .th Sseniiazl;` means, in combination,:0.1%: t'aceolii-alie. ins the foieeoine which kwilhnom explain, detail.frefezzencesbe ina medecta :the-.aceoninanyins dnawines.- 4 shew the..basic aetiiatf. ine: commise@ in ini/,enti .-.Aibeingf a cemhination ofilevers; and. rechne-.aims operated hvsa. s erieslofl and; cranks 0n. theisotaiabie shaiti--i (Eier-3); 4\leuserealce.in-the fzitamefei; the.machine... said; .shaitceased to. Shait 21fby nerhiheizal gear-ori camSelah@ seas said shaft 2,'` moth.- shoivn inEignBI Said. Shat Z; and

nellcyf-.theaecn heine: cennected with. the motor intheconveniiionalmannen: he done by means' of `aicorresponding pulley on shaft(E 2 9heitzconnection indicated by dotted lines 29; .whahah-and miley` r` Asshown ihfiigf..:l,sthe bottles to. he cleansed ane canieci thnoiish themachineby the. type off. caniche; comprimi-.rief eene. or .pyramidshape@ hcttle compartments, extending tiiarisr veesely:achossftnamachine. and. .supported at chains 4 navel: on. rollers.. intiac scented to tno, name, ci; the, machine on each Side; and. have a.ofitreveb asehovsznin Eig.; 1. H

'Ehef-Qrward movement ofsaick endless chains; 4

and carriers 3 is accomplished by an am; 5j with nani. 61 renchaine;each Qi: saisi chains; as'they ententhehoriaontaittaclss alone the; topof. the machineiatter: having Leit. the tiack. oi the ine keyedto-.theshaft `1i. Q11. each cnet thereof .and 'inline with the eonveyolt.chains I4f sa that he theinfnivotai-ccnnection with. the

pawi ,arms said pawharms: are kent in line vwith said chains; when.actuated foward by: the

rotation .of thehox came, and the. oscillation of the shaft 11,-the.pavvls Giengage the chains and: advance theml with.. tneiil appended`bottle `'carriers concurrentlnf The*distance:` of such ad;-

vance is regulated `hythe of: the 1 8; and connecting arms and,leversingsuchmanner that `when the. movement'ceasesr and `the navvls fiare returned to. operating: position thezcarlriers. have been adcaneedone. position.- cac-h .is there@ fore, .izeadyxi .for fthe. succeeding:ioneration.

u Riss.. 1. .te s Vshow detail. the. mechanism for ieedingvuiehcttiesinto the. machineand ejectwhich point the vertical arm 17 is rigidlya'tff tached thereto. This arm 17 is `pivoted to the horizontal lever18, and as the cani shaft '1 ro` tates the peripheral cam 13thehorizon'talrlever 18 is moved towardthe rear .of the .machineoscillating the transverse shaft"19,journal'ed"in the frame at the frontend thereof, byconnect# ing member 20.

- Push arms, or fingers 21, Aare rigidly attached to said shaft 19andits oscillating movement carries said arms, in channel slots providedin the loading table 22, toward the openings'of thebottle carrierautomatically placed invposition for load#- ing, pushing lbottleshorizontally place'dy on lsaid table and in said channels into saidcarrier'. V The-table 22-isjpivoted in the-iframe of 'the machine atits'for'ward end23jandfisfsuspended at lits rearward endbyfspringsisecure'dltoi the frame of `the machine, and 1 bylinea'n'sof a-fvertiJcally extending member 24 engagingwtheslots-in power vcontrol handle 25acts '-as `an r`automatic stop. When bottles onlthe loading "table`-22`clo notv completely enter the carrier "being' loaded, for anyreason,y the forward end 'ofthe tablelis j depressed bythe downwardmo'vementi-*of-''the carrier and bottle, and; the control handle 25released, from'its'position with its forward'vend against the belt topulley on"shaftl-39', and en; ables the belt to 'travel free of said"pulley and VAs shown 'in Fig. 2' crank 26 is 'alsorigidl'yf aty tachedto said' oscillating shaft 13g-fand by`-"rod 27 pivoted to saidv` crank.26'fandv armi'y 23, an oscillating movement is given to -the uppertrans- -verseshaft 29 which is journaledin-A the'frame of-the machine.AA `plurality of arms 30, fsup-y porting bottle retainers 31: extending'transversely across the machiner vin position'to' receive bottlesejected from'the carriens,` arerigidly attached to"saidshaftj29,f with a`coor'xer'ating stationary base member32 so placed'as not to interfere'with the vmovement of said arms andfbottle retaining members i With theforward movementof-the 'conveyor chains' and `carriers the r.bottle 'compartmentsfjof one carrier, being the most advance'dcarrier, leave thefront' plate 33' (Fig. l) andarethereby deprived of means holdingtheminrthe''carrier. As they face the opening in the machine' front,said bottles fall by gravityout ofthe carrier Aand slide over said baseVmember 32, resting in an inclined position 'on thefnfiovable' retainers31.

Withthe oscillation ofithe'shaft` 29, actuated as hereinbeforedescribed,'the'retainers 31 are moved upwardly. in an `arc byL the-farms30- until the bot.- tles held rtherein reach al verticall'position'andrest on the conveyor chain 34, from whichlthey are-taken to thellin'gmachines. e I It willfbe noted from Figs. 1, .'2 that the con-`veyorvchain 34'may be actuatedV by al shaft 35 lconnecting with Ychaindrive 36, horizontal shaft 37, Aand`vertical-shaft 38, gearedto thepulley shaft 39-in the usual manner (Fig.1). As an 'alternativa'saidconveyor chain; may be' actuated by combination Awith the conveyor chainof the filling machine 'and its. actuatingmea'ns.-

When the concurrentv'ejection of cleanbottles from the machine, andfeedingof-vdirtylbottles,

is completed, the continued movement of the peripheral cam 13, aided bythe spring 40, again returns the fingers 21 and bottle retainers 31 totheir operating position.

'AS1 hereinbefore,"pointed.outjduring the interval thatfl the carriers'and conveyor chains are stationary the soaking draining, brushing andyrinsing operations in the machine are taking place. Y

` With thedownward and forward movement of the.l carriers at the frontof themachine, the bottles enterthetank 41 and are lled with hotchemical'solution'.` The solution in the tank is heated'by. the usualmeans, viz., steam coil, gas flame, etc. and the bottles soak thereinwith the successive forward movement ofthe carriers until carried aroundthe sprocket or wheel 42 and inverted, when lthe `solutioni remaining in`said bottles is idrai'ri'ed therefrom. This 'drainage is returnedto thetank bylrneans of the drain pan formed by the-*inclined side ofthe tank41.

-'iUpon-emergingfrom the solution tank 41, the bottles are'ready' forthe brushingand rinsing op'ere'ttion's;y ThisI operationrequires thatthe centering funnels 43 beplacedfinidirect contact with the-mouths fandnecks 'of the bottles to be brushed and rinsed,v andithat rinsinfgfandbrushingy means be provided f I 1- v- Figures 1 andv Zishow thetransverse series of centering 'funnels 43 raised into contact with thebottles, and l'thefrinsing means and brushes in theirnormal positionforoperation, the operation thereof being explained as follows.

-= The frame members 44 'support crosslmembers extending transverselyacross -said frame inem- Y 4bersulziporte'd by the upper member of frame44 tothecentering funnels thereon for the brushes 49,' a's shown, saidsleeves 48 forming a casing for said brushes and 'theirstems v50.

' -As`theforward movement of the conveyor chains lland carriers' 3ceases the frame 44 and all its appurtenances including the centeringfunvlnels '43, which have been lowered during the i movement of thecarriers 3, are actuated upwardlyfuntil Ysaid funnels are indirectcontact with andaround thefnecksof the stationary bottles to loe-brushed'andfrinsed v The Aframe 44 and supported attachments above referred to,is arranged to slideverticallyin a `groove between the uprights 51 oneach side of the machine', being actuated' by a rocker arm 52 oneachendfpivoted to the frame supporting memfb'er'53, The rocker arms 52arefkeyed to the shaft 54 extending transversely across the machine andjournaled in theframe thereof; and are alsoconne'cted by a similartransverse shaft 55 at the extr'emerear endthereoithe latter shaft/beingvertically'movable in a slot 56 in each side of the machine. `Supports57 depend from said shaft 55 in- Sidel the machine and arejointlypivoted on `the lever58, the opposite (or forward) 'end of said`lever being keyed to the shaft 54 in manner vsimilar-totherockeriarms52 (see Fig.1). i

- l asid rrsmacmne frame "andfflek'tens trasversly mA l-'I 5" is keyed,`and Both-rocker arm th y"cgposite side of l y by aconnecting membertolfthefver'tic f 1y@broyer@ erfmember w, mount- "ed2 in rtheiferticalf"*groove f'betweenfthe uprights d member '7TA supportngvthegear box 69 projecting-f" ems:YL 01 andbrushes 49. thef'oposit endt ofsaid rocker arms Fthe Weighbofthe! geai` box 'peftienloffnaaimachine.

" 1 dsimi `"ar-*tofandI thsmereativefposition as arm78, Both of thesearms 'I8`are pivotedat machine, The rinsing'a Tl'emaimfee f above thebottles beihgbrushed coversv them`A with hosevev connectingmthefheaders45; forthev rinse water vdaring the brushing operation. -jets 461:andrisittedswithFtIc-ie.L vaLveSS operated These' brushing andrinsingoperations are car- =byth`e 1everl84. :The nod iivconnects` said leverried out by means f the main rockerarm '11,' with the rocker arm '75 onthe side of the mapivoted at 72 to an upright member of the machinemidway its shaft 76 and its pivot to the chine rame,factuated by thecrank disc `r73 gear box support, so

nemer febrer: @mwa keyedwtoi a dl ipe-1- ez connects to me flexible`that upon the upward movenected arms 'l5-'78 hereinbefore describedwithdraws the internal rinse brushes 49 from the bottles, lowers thespindles 67 holding thebottles between vthe rotary brushes in chamber 68and allows them to .resume their normal position in the carriers, andcloses the valve 83 preparatory to the lowering of thecentering funnelsand forward movement of the bottle carriers, hereinbefore described. r

` 'I'he catch'basin 86, which receives the drippings from the bottles`during -their brushing and rinsing operations,may be` connected withthe sewer by anyconventional type of outlet. n, ,Y It is not to beunderstood from the foregoing description of my inventionthat I limit itto a machine witha specied number of bottle compartments in thecarriers, or to any specified number of spindles 67, funnels 43, brushes49, or

rinse jets 46. These and other features offmy invention may-vary-withthe number of bottles it is desired to accommodate in the machine atlone time.

Havingthus described myinvention, I claim:V

' l. `,In a bottle washing machine,a frame comprising sideportions, abottom portion, and end portions, said end portions extending upwardlyand forming a tank, an endless bottle carrier conveyor mounted in saidtank, said endless conveyor having a portion defining an incline fromthe rear end of said tank to the top of said frame, conveyor actuatingmeans comprising reciprocating pawl arm means engaging thek conveyor andactuated by levers, bottle brusher ymeans mounted in said frame, meansfor vertically reciprocating said brusher means to and from operatingposition with respect tothe conveyor comprising rocker armmeans linkedat one end thereto with counterbalance means at the opposite endthereof, bottle sprayer means comprising a vertically reciprocatingsupporting member `mounted in said frame, supporting memberreciprocating'means comprising rocker arm means linked thereto and'keyedon a transverse shaft mountedy in said frame, a rotatable shafttransversely mounted and housedin the upper corner portion of said framedened by the incline vof said lendless conveyor and remotely outsidethereof, a gear wheel mounted on said shaft within r the side portionsof said frame, a plurality ,of` box cams on the faces of saidgearwheeL-said cams being operatively connected with said pawl armactuating levers and with said transverse shaft comprising the sprayerreciprocating means, and rotatable crank means mounted onvthe end of isaid rotatable shaft outside said frame and operlatively connectedwith'said rocker arm means comprising the brusher reciprocating means.

2. In a bottle washing machine, a frame comprising side portions, abottom portion, and'end portions, said end portions extending upwardlyap'proximately midway the height of said frame and forming a tank,`anendless conveyor mounted in said tank, said endless conveyor having aportion defining an incline from the rear end of said actuating meanscomprising reciprocating pawl Y arm,means actuated by levers, bottlebrusher means mounted insaid frame, means for vertically reciprocatingsaid brusherk means to and from operating position with respect to theconveyor comprising rocker arm means linked thereto with counterbalancemeans at the opposite end thereof, bottle sprayer means comprising avertically reciprocating supporting member mounted insaid frame,supporting member reciprocating means comprising rocker arm means linkedthereto and .keyedy on a transverse shaft mounted in said frame, arotatable shaft transversely-mounted and housed in the upper cornerportion of said frame defined by the incline :of said endless conveyorand remotely outside thereof, a gear wheel mounted on said shaft withinthe side portions of said frame,a plurality of box cams .on the faces ofsaid gear wheel, said cams being operatively connected with said pawlarm actuating levers and with said transverse shaft comprising kportiondefining an incline from lthe rear end of said tank forwardly to the topof said frame, laterally along said frameand downwardly to the entranceto said tank, said endless conveyor equippedA with bottle carrier unitsextending transversely across said machine and adapted to travel withsaid conveyor, conveyor actuating means comprising` reciprocating pawlarm means actuatedfby levers, bottle brusher means slidably mountedinthe side portions of said frame, means for vertically reciprocatingsaid brusher means to and from operating vposition with respect to saidconveyor comprising rocker arm means linked thereto, with counterbalancemeans at the opposite end thereof, bottle sprayer means comprisingliquid jets on a vertically reciprocating supporting member slidablymounted in the side portions of said frame, supporting ,memberreciprocating means comprising rocker arm means linked thereto and keyedon aA transverse shaft journaled in said frame, Aa rotatable shaftytransversely mounted and housed in the upper `corner portion of saidframe defined by the inclineof said endless conveyor and remotelyoutside thereof, a gear Wheel mounted on said shaft within the sideportions of said frame, a plurality of box cams on the faces of 'saidgear wheel, said cams being operatively connected with said pawl armactuating levers` and with said transverse the brusher reciprocatingmeans.

PAUL R. FLETCHER.

